Friendly Affair
by Chiquinta
Summary: A new recruit to Pacific Blue threatens Chris and Cory's friendship. Final Chapter uploaded!
1. Part 1

Summary: A new recruit to Pacific Blue creates havoc for Chris and Cory's friendship.  
  
Friendly Affair  
  
Victor's bike started to skid out from under him on the way down the hill. He struggled to keep balance.  
He counted his blessings as the bike righted itself. Coming off on a hill this steep would means some serious gravel rash that he'd rather not think about.  
Tc drew up beside him and gave him a confused glance. It wasn't like Victor to lose control of his bike even for a second.  
Not that they had time to do anything about it. Some stupid brat had made off with about $5000 worth of mobile phones. Apparently no one thought it was suspicious that a 12-year-old boy was loading merchandise from a delivery truck into his backpack. It was when one of the truck drivers had offered to take the bag inside for the lad that he'd run off and they'd been alerted of the theft.  
They also knew this kid didn't need the money. The motorised scooter he was riding would have cost a cold fortune.  
Victor's bike started to wobble again. 'Shit!' He exclaimed and purposely skid the bike sidewards to stop the motion before slamming down on the pedals to catch up to the chase.  
He was starting to make up ground when Tc crossed an intersection not five meters in front of him. Thinking it was safe for him to cross as well he proceeded into the intersection about the same time that the screw holding his front wheel in place came off along with the wheel. And it was the same time that a bloody huge truck entered the intersection as well.  
With the front of the bike collapsed under him Victor flew over the handlebars and through the air. He wasn't quite sure who hit who first but he ended up smashing into the front corner of the truck with a sickening crunch and fell to the ground.  
The truck that'd barely had time to respond slammed on its breaks hurriedly and stopped further up the road with its back tire resting on Victor's already bruised knee.  
Tc was still coasting from the hill quickly turned his head to see what the fuss was about. He stopped in an instant when he saw the mangled steel of Victor's bike strung around the wheels of the truck.  
He quickly tossed his bike in the opposite direction and pedaled hard. In fact, he couldn't remember pedaling so hard. The thirty meters or so to the crash site seems like an eternity and he was holding his breath as he rounded the front of the truck.  
Victor was lying on his back with blood streaming from a cut on his temple from where he'd hit his head. His leg that was under the truck tire was at an awful angle and Tc could barely recognise that his shoulder was indeed a shoulder.  
'This is 1PB6.' Tc spoke into the radio, his voice shaking. 'Officer down on the corner of 7th and Montana. Send the paramedics.'  
Tc grabbed the first aid pack from his bike and dumped it down next to Victor. Already a sizeable crown had formed.  
'Victor, are you okay? Can you hear me?' Using the back of his hand he tapped Victor on his good shoulder.  
Victor moaned. 'I think I'm going to need a bandage.' He mumbled.  
'You're going to need a bit more than that.' Tc said pulling out a pad and pressing it to the wound on Victor's head. 'What's hurts?'  
'Everything.' He swallowed hard. 'If I'm not in tomorrow tell Palermo I'm off sick.'  
'Yes mate.' Tc said. If Palermo doesn't know by the end of the day that Victor won't be in tomorrow then the man has slipped a cog, he thought.  
A lady ran over to them. 'I'm a nurse, can I help?' She said.  
'Yeah.' Tc answered. 'You can tell me what I need to do.' He pushed the first aid kit in her direction.  
The woman grabbed a bandage and started wrapped the pad securely on Victor's head. 'Do you think you can do something about the truck?' She asked and nodded towards the tire on Victor's leg.  
Tc nodded. He jumped to his feet and ran to the cab. The driver had already been taken from the truck and was sitting on the pavement looking like a stunned mullet. Obviously shaken from the event, he'd neglected to turn off the engine.  
Tc hopped in the cab and eased off the handbrake letting the truck roll slowly forwards until he was sure that it would have cleared Victor's knee before putting the handbrake back on and shutting off the engine.  
He jumped out of the cab when dispatch returned his 'call'.  
'1PB6, the paramedics are on their way.'  
Tc went back over to Victor and the nurse. Victor's knee was dislocated badly.  
'There doesn't seem to be any major fractures though.' The nurse said.  
Tc just nodded.  
She went on. 'His shoulder is another story though.'  
'Will he be back to work any time soon?' He asked.  
She gave him a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding' look.  
'Is there anything I can do?' Tc looked at his friend. Victor has passed out, most probably from pain or shock, or both.  
'Could you check on the driver? He's probably in shock and will need to lie down. Make sure no one gives him any water.'  
Tc stood up but didn't move away from his friend.  
'Please Officer Callaway.' She said reading his shirt. 'There isn't much you can do for him at the moment.'  
Tc reluctantly went to treat the truck driver.  
A few minutes, which felt likes hours, later the paramedics arrived, followed by Palermo.  
The nurse filled in the paramedics on what she'd done to stabilize Victor and also gave them a generalized idea of what had happened. Palermo listened in before going to question Tc.  
'What happened?' He asked.  
Tc shrugged. 'I'm not sure. His bike skidded a bit at the top of the hill. He got control but had to catch up after that. I never saw the accident.'  
Palermo frowned. 'And the kid you were chasing?'  
Tc shrugged again. 'We didn't catch him.'  
The lieutenant nodded slowly. 'Okay. Go back to the station. I'll talk to you later about this.' He strode away to talk to some witnesses.  
Tc picked up his bike and wheeled it through the crowd feeling their curious eyes watching him. This sucks, he thought. First some brat outruns them, and then Victor gets taken out, now Palermo is pissed at HIM!  
He purposely took his time getting back to the station. He didn't want to be going there. He wanted to be at the hospital. He wanted to know what was going on. 


	2. Part 2

Chris and Cory pounced on him the second he got through the door.  
  
'How's Victor?' 'What happened?'  
  
Tc just shrugged and went to put his bike away.  
  
Chris frowned and followed him with Cory close behind. 'Tc, what's the matter?'  
  
'I don't know.' He said irritated. 'We were coming down a hill, his bike slipped, I went ahead and the next thing I know his bike is mangled under a truck.'  
  
Cory almost gagged. 'Is he okay?'  
  
Tc shrugged again. 'He got a bad bump to the head, a bad knee and a bad shoulder. Palermo took over when he got there and I wasn't told a thing.' He spat out and wandered off towards his locker mumbling, 'You think being sergeant I'd get told things…'  
  
Chris and Cory just looked at each other. It wasn't like Victor to make mistakes on his bike and it wasn't like Tc to be mad at Palermo.  
  
'Palermo sounds pissed.' Cory said.  
  
'I'll say. Remind me to keep out of his way when he gets here.' Chris replied. 'Oh, did you finish writing that report he wanted?'  
  
Cory dashed back to her desk, grabbed the file and started quickly scribbling down on a pad.  
  
'I guess not.' Chris said to herself.  
Palermo came back a couple of hours later and immediately called them all into his office.  
  
'I though I'd tell all of you at once to save repeating myself. Witnesses say that Victor's front wheel came of his bike causing him to crash into the truck. He's got a concussion, a badly dislocated knee and a shattered shoulder which took most of the impact. In other words, he isn't going to be back for a while.' Palermo let the news sink in before he continued. 'Because we are coming up to the peak summer holiday period we need as many hands as we can get.'  
  
'Do you want us to work extra shifts Lieutenant?' Cory asked.  
  
'A few but with Victor out of the field I'm going to be getting someone in to replace him whilst he's gone.'  
  
The three officers exchanged looks.  
  
'We won't have time to train them though.' Tc said.  
  
'That's not a problem. Long Beach has been working on a project and has been training extra bike patrol officers for situations like this. I've already spoken to Long Beach and they are sending someone over tomorrow.'  
  
'That soon?' Chris asked.  
  
Palermo nodded. 'With Victor out on injury it will leave a huge gap in our system. At least this way you all won't have to cover his load.'  
Chris and Cory left the lieutenant's office a short time later feeling rather bemused. Only Tc remained as per Palermo's wishes.  
  
'That was weird.' Cory said.  
  
'Definitely.' Chris agreed. 'I wonder who they'll get in to replace Victor.'  
  
'Hopefully someone good.' Cory was relieved that she'd finished the report and had it on Palermo's desk by the time he got back to the station.  
  
'Hopefully but not probably.'  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
'Think about it. Murphy's Law states that we will probably get someone who thinks they know everything and can do our jobs better than us.'  
  
'You never know Chris; we might be lucky and get someone really nice.'  
  
'I doubt it.' Chris had seen it all before. It would probably be some hot shot guy who thought that because she's a woman she'd be useless as a cop. She's seen it far too many times and was not looking forward to the new recruit.  
Tc slowly peeked his head around the corner. Victor was lying in the bed looking out the window. He had bandages on his leg and arm and a patch on his head.  
  
Tc went into the room. 'Hey. How are you feeling?'  
  
'Like I got hit by a truck?' Victor replied. He sounded tired. 'What happened?'  
  
'Um, you got hit by a truck.' Tc said. 'Don't you remember?'  
  
Victor shook his head then winced from the pain. Apparently he'd forgotten he had a sore head too.  
  
Tc sat down on one of the chairs. 'We were chasing a kid who stole mobile phones. We were heading down the hill on Montana when your front wheel came off and you hit the truck.' Tc paused for a minute. 'You really can't remember any of it?'  
  
Victor gave a one arm shrug. 'I can remember the nurse that was there. She works here and was on duty this afternoon.'  
  
Tc laughed. 'Trust you to remember that.'  
  
Victor smiled weakly. 'The doctor told me I'd be here for a while.'  
  
'Yeah, Palermo said pretty much the same?'  
  
'Do you know what's going to happen?'  
  
Tc screwed up his nose. 'They are bringing someone in from Long Beach to do your job while you're gone.'  
  
'Make sure they do my paperwork too, won't you.'  
  
Tc grinned. At least Victor was annoyed that he was getting replaced.  
  
'Do me a favour though?' Victor asked.  
  
'Sure. Anything.'  
  
'Palermo's probably going to call my mother because she's listed as my next of kin. Can you check up on her occasionally and make sure she doesn't kill my fish?'  
  
'Will do.' Tc replied. Victor had started a collection of 'ugly' fish. Basically it was a group of the ugliest fish he could find. Rosa had house-sat for Victor when they were doing the Eco Relay and had managed to kill them by feeding them breadcrumbs. She thought that one of the fish (that was supposed to be flat anyway) needed its diet supplemented.  
Tc was greeted at the firehouse the next morning by a loud, unfamiliar voice.  
  
Cory and Chris were chatting to a woman dressed in SMPD uniform. She was a few inches shorter than the other two women but had a very domineering quality about her. Her short purple-brown hair lay flat but had been gelled to spikes at the ends.  
Chris spotted him and waved him over. 'Tc, this is Leslie Baker. She's the recruit from Long Beach.'  
  
Leslie thrust out her hand at him and shook his hand vigorously. 'Hi. I take it you're Sergeant Callaway.'  
  
'Yeah.' He said giving her an odd look. He wondered what Chris and Cory had told her.  
  
Cory handed him the local paper. Yesterday's accident had made the front page. The picture was of him and the nurse, who'd been listed in the caption as being Sharon Roberts, tending to Victor before the ambulance had arrived.  
  
'Had Palermo seen this?' He asked.  
  
Cory shrugged. 'Probably but he hasn't said anything.'  
  
Palermo came downstairs and saw Tc. 'Good, you're here.' He said. 'You'll be riding with Leslie today and I'll need that theft report by this afternoon.' He then motioned for them to get out on patrol.  
Tc stared off riding slowly. He wasn't sure how fast she liked to ride or how good she was at handling the bike. As it was she was already lagging behind him.  
  
He turned around to see where she was. She was riding with one hand on the handlebars and the other was sending an SMS. She was barely looking where she was going.  
  
Tc rolled his eyes and kept riding.  
  
A few minutes later she pulled up beside him.  
  
'Are you finished?' He asked.  
  
'Yep.' She said. 'Do you usually ride this slowly?'  
  
'Only with amateurs.' He said cheekily.  
  
She pretended to be offended. Then a call came over the radio. Two men who having a punch-up over a traffic accident.  
  
She looked over at Tc as he radioed that they'd be attending. 'Race ya.' She said and took off.  
  
Tc shook his head and peddled after her.  
They weren't the first officers there and the situation had been pretty much resolved by the time they pulled up.  
  
Tc had to admit that Leslie was quite fast on the bike. He only had a few seconds to wait until she pulled up behind him.  
  
The other officers at the scene asked to start questioning the witnesses.  
After Tc got through questioning a woman who was rather unhappy about being asked to stay and talk to the officer with three young, restless children in her car, he started looking around to see where Leslie had gotten to.  
  
He found her chatting happily to the nurse that had been at the accident yesterday.  
  
He wandered over to them.  
  
The nurse spotted him. 'Ah, so we meet again.'  
  
Tc could see why Victor might like this woman. She was tall, skinny and blonde with curves in all the right places. If Tc didn't have another gorgeous blonde on his mind at the moment he might even be interested himself.  
  
Tc just smiled and looked questionably at Leslie.  
  
Leslie just gave him one of her grins. 'Are you finished?' She asked, much in the way that he had asked her earlier.  
  
He nodded.  
  
Sharon elbowed Leslie.  
  
Leslie rolled her eyes. 'Tc, this is Sharon Roberts. She's the nurse from the accident yesterday. She's also my roommate.'  
  
Sharon held out her hand. 'Nice to meet you.' She didn't have the violent handshake that Leslie had.  
  
Tc turned his attention back to Leslie. 'Shouldn't you be questioning witnesses?'  
  
'I am.' She said. 'Sharon saw everything.'  
  
'Again?' Tc asked her.  
  
Sharon nodded. 'I know. I seem to attract traffic accidents at the moment.'  
  
'Are you done here?'  
  
'Yep.' Leslie said and put away her notebook.  
  
'Good. We've got to get back to the station.'  
  
'And I've got to get to work.' Sharon said. 'There's a handsome cop I've got to look after.'  
  
'Okay, take care.' Leslie said and gave Sharon a hug goodbye. 'See you at home.'  
  
Tc and Leslie got their bikes and started riding off.  
  
'You seem to know her quite well.' He said.  
  
'We've been friends for ages.' Leslie said. 'Since primary school.'  
  
'Oh.' Tc said. 'Does she like Victor?'  
  
Leslie laughed. 'She's thinks he's nice and he's friendly to the eye but she's not into him like that.'  
  
'Why not?'  
  
Leslie just shrugged. 


	3. Part 3

Victor had been trying to rest when Sharon walked into the room. He opened his eyes and watched as she perched herself on the bed next to him.  
  
'How are you feeling?'  
  
'Better.' He said.  
  
'Good.' She wrote something on her clipboard. 'The doctor will be in this afternoon to talk to you about surgery.'  
  
Victor pulled a face. Yuck, surgery. Surgery meant lots of time off work and heaps of physio.  
  
Sharon patted his arm. 'It's not that scary.' Victor sighed and made puppy-dog eyes at her. 'Is there anyone you wanted me to call? Wife? Girlfriend?'  
  
'No, none of the above.' He said. 'Although, if you know anyone…'  
  
She just laughed. 'Well I'm glad you're feeling better Victor.' She said touching his hand.  
  
He thought it lingered a little as she got down off the bed and left to continue her rounds.  
  
Over the next few days each of the officers, including Palermo, had a chance to ride on patrol with Leslie.  
  
She'd also given them a demonstratio of her training on the bikes. They were all impressed by her skills and her bubbly personality had won them over on a personal level.  
  
Everything seemed to be going fine at the firehouse. That was until…  
  
'What are you still doing here?' Tc asked Chris late one afternoon.  
  
Chris gave him a puzzled look. 'I had a report to finish. Why?'  
  
Tc shrugged. 'I just thought you'd be down at the bar with Cory and Leslie.'  
  
'What are they doing there?'  
  
'A social event. Cory and Leslie arranged it at lunch. Didn't they ask you?'  
  
Chris put her hands on her hips. 'No, they didn't.'  
  
'Maybe they didn't get time to ask you.'  
  
'Tc, I was on patrol with Cory all afternoon!'  
  
'Calm down Chris. I'm sure they just forgot.'  
  
'They didn't forget to go to the bar though.' Chris threw her hands in the air. 'This is just typical.  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
'Every time we get a mutual friend Cory always tries to find a way to make sure that I don't get to see them. Do you remember what happened with Tim Stone?'  
  
'Chris, I think that was a bit different.'  
  
'It's not different. She's trying to make sure that Leslie and I don't become friends.  
  
'I think you're over-reacting.'  
  
She looked at him like he'd just grown horns. 'I am not over-reacting!' She said getting rather flustered. 'Well, you didn't get invited either.'  
  
'Actually I did but I've already got plans for this evening.'  
  
Chris glared. 'So I'm the only one who didn't know about this.'  
  
TC shrugged. 'I don't think they told Palermo.'  
  
She gave and exasperated sigh, grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.  
  
'Where are you going?' He called after her.  
  
'Home.' She bit out.  
  
Chris left in a huff letting the door bang behind her.  
  
Palermo had just come out of his office. 'What was that all about?' He asked Tc.  
  
'I don't know. Tc said. 'It's probably a woman thing.'  
  
Palermo just made a face then got back to what he was doing.  
  
After spending the entire night chewing over what had happened, Chris arrived at the firehouse the next morning tired and grumpy.  
  
'Hi Chris.' Cory greeted her.  
  
Chris smirked and folded her arms. 'You know Cory; I tried to call you yesterday afternoon.'  
  
'Oh, I was out.'  
  
Chris nodded slowly. 'Where?'  
  
Cory gave her an odd look. 'I went out with a friend.'  
  
'Leslie?' Chris asked.  
  
Cory rolled her eyes. 'Look, we would have invited you except you were saying all afternoon that you had so much paperwork to do and you were going to stay back late to finish it. I didn't think you needed the added pressure.'  
  
'How about you let me make up my own mind in future?' Chris said scathingly and went about her own work.  
  
Tc had been to see Victor the previous night and was hovering over Chris's desk telling her about how funny it was to see Rosa fussing over him.  
  
Leslie walked over and joined in the conversation. 'Sharon says he's going in for surgery in a couple of days.'  
  
Chris made a face. 'No wonder Rosa is up. Victor will need someone to hold his hand.'  
  
Tc frowned. 'It's not funny Chris. The man was hit by a truck.'  
  
Leslie clapped Tc on the shoulder rather forcefully, so much so that he was pushed off balance. 'Don't worry.' She said. 'Shaz is looking after him.' Leslie went back to doing whatever Leslie does in a day.  
  
'You don't like her very much do you?' Chris said reading the look on Tc's face.  
  
'She's all right.' He said. 'For a fella.'  
  
Chris scoffed. 'What does that mean?'  
  
Tc stuck out his chest, lowered his voice and did an imitation of her. 'Shaz is looking after him.' He reached down and pretended to scratch himself for effect.  
  
Chris laughed and looked beside him.  
  
Tc followed her gaze and met Leslie head on. She was standing a few feet behind him with her hands on her hips.  
  
'So you think I've got balls huh?' She said. 'I'll show you.' She pounced on him and wrestled him into a headlock where she proceeded to mess his hair.  
  
Tc struggled in her grip. He could have broken out if he wanted to but he was aware she was just fooling around with him.  
  
Leslie let him go. 'Who wears the pants now?' She asked, mocking his masculinity. 'Don't forget to fix your hair.'  
  
Tc waited until she'd walked away before he ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it out.  
  
'I saw that.' Leslie called from across the room.  
  
Chris laughed. 'Met your mate hey Callaway.'  
  
'I let her win.' He said.  
  
Chris just shook her head. 'I don't believe you.'  
  
Palermo called Tc into his office to talk something official.  
  
Chris went back to writing her report.  
  
Leslie came back over to Chris when Tc had left and she pulled up a chair.  
  
'What's up?' Chris asked.  
  
Leslie shrugged. 'Nothing much. I was wondering if you wanted to come out dancing with me and Sharon. We're going into the city to check out the new club that's just opened.'  
  
'Which one?'  
  
'La Vie.' Leslie said. 'A friend of Sharon's went last weekend and she says it's fantastic.'  
  
'Isn't that a gay club?' Chris asked.  
  
Leslie shrugged. 'I didn't think so. Have you ever been to one?'  
  
Chris shook her head. 'I can't say I have.'  
  
'They're a heap of fun. Great music, and you meet a lot of really nice people.'  
  
Chris gave her an odd look.  
  
'It's okay. They are used to straight people going there. All you have to do is say that you're not interested.'  
  
'Oh, okay.'  
  
'So do you want to go then?'  
  
'Sure, why not?'  
  
'Great! We'll get the taxi to swing by your place at about 8.'  
  
'Ok.' Chris said. Leslie got up to leave. 'Wait. Is Cory coming?'  
  
Leslie shook her head. 'I've asked her but she said she's already got plans.' 


	4. Part 4

AN: Just a short little chapter but I guarantee you'll like it.  
  
______________________________________________  
  
Chris grabbed her purse and dashed out the door. The taxi had just pulled up outside her house.  
  
Leslie waved to Chris form the front seat as she came down the drive.  
  
She hopped into the cab next to other woman who she correctly presumed to be Sharon.  
  
'Hi.' She greeted both of them.  
  
'Hey.' Leslie said. 'You look fantastic.'  
  
'Thanks.' Chris replied. She wouldn't have described it as 'fantastic'. She wore a short black dress with shoelace straps and black leather sandals. She'd spent a bit of time on her hair making it curl slightly and applied her make up to give her eyes a bit more definition. Apart from that, there wasn't anything special.  
  
Leslie on the other hand had spent quite a bit of time getting ready, or so it looked like. She had a white top that tied around her waist and neck and was a triangular shape down the bottom with a black vinyl skirt. She had a lot of coloured bracelets down her arms, big dangly earrings and had used hair mascara to make the tips of her hair blue.  
  
Leslie chatted all the way from Chris's house to the club with the occasional murmur from Sharon if need be.  
  
From Tc's description of Sharon, she was bright, bubbly and outgoing. Chris wondered if he was telling the truth. She hardly spoke two words the entire trip and her gaze remained fixed out the window.  
  
When they got to the club Leslie didn't wait for the other two to exit the cab before she bounded inside.  
  
The outside 'wall' of the club was mirrored. Chris stopped for a split second to check her reflection. She spotted Sharon in the reflection as well. Was Sharon glaring at her? Chris was confused. She was not getting good vibes from her at all.  
  
The atmosphere of the club was fantastic. The music was great, as Leslie at told her but almost as soon as Chris started dancing a woman came over to ask what her sexual preference was.  
  
Chris politely told her that she was straight.  
  
The woman looked disappointed. 'Well, if you ever change your mind…' She said before leaving Chris to go back to the group she'd come with.  
  
Tc found Victor in his 'room' writing something. He went over to have a look.  
  
Victor looked up and saw him. He held up the paper with his good arm. 'Cory bought it over for me. I thought I may as well be doing something constructive.' He was holding up a report from a case.  
  
'You just can't stay away, can you?' Tc teased him.  
  
Victor just grunted. He was looking very grim.  
  
'What's up?' Tc asked.  
  
Victor smiled sardonically. 'What isn't wrong? I've been told I have surgery tomorrow and I've made an ass of myself all at the same time.'  
  
'Why? What happened?'  
  
'I made the mistake of asking her out.'  
  
'Who?'  
  
'The nurse. The blonde one from the accident.' Victor said drawing squiggles on a spare piece of paper.  
  
'I take it that it didn't go well.'  
  
'You could say that.' He said.  
  
'What happened?'  
  
'She says she doesn't date men.'  
  
Tc gave him an odd look. 'You means she doesn't date patients?'  
  
Victor shook his head. 'No. She doesn't date men in general. She's a lesbian.' He sighed. 'What a waste.'  
  
Tc laughed but stopped quickly when he saw the look on Victor's face. 'That's rough.' He said. 'What did you do when she told you?'  
  
Victor smiled for the first time that night. 'I told her I could set her up with Chris or Cory.'  
  
They both laughed.  
  
Victor continued. 'She's already got a girlfriend.' He put down his pen and stretched as much as he could before it started to hurt. 'I think it's funny though. Palermo came and saw me the other day and he was so pleased that Leslie was fitting in so well here. I wonder what his reaction would be if he found out that she was going out Sharon.'  
  
Tc's jaw dropped. 'Wait a minute. Leslie and Sharon?'  
  
Victor nodded. 'You mean you didn't suspect anything?'  
  
'No, but…' Tc smirked.  
  
'What?' Victor asked.  
  
'Oh, nothing. It's just that Leslie and Sharon have taken Chris to La Vie tonight.'  
  
'The gay club?'  
  
Tc nodded.  
  
Victor laughed. 'This should be interesting. You have to tell me what happens. Chris is going to flip out.' 


	5. Part 5

Chris was getting fed up.  
  
As the night wore on and the other patrons of the club were getting drunk, the offers for dances and the like were getting much more vulgar.  
  
It had gone from 'hi, mind if I dance with you' to 'hey cutie, wanna shag?'  
  
She'd had enough; she was going home.  
  
Chris wandered through the dancing crowd having her butt pinched by more than a few people on the way through.  
  
She'd had enough of that too.  
  
Again someone tried it on her and this time she whirled around to see who it was.  
  
'Hey!' She shouted and pulled on the best angry face she could muster.  
  
A tall muscly guy looked back at her with a guilty look. 'Sorry, you look like a friend of mine.'  
  
'Oh.' Chris said, feeling a tad better about the situation. At least he hadn't felt her up because he liked the look of her.  
  
The guy continued. 'He said he was going to be here tonight.'  
  
Chris rolled her eyes and kept on pushing through the crowd.  
  
She stepped out the back door, glad for the rush of cool air and the smell of the sea. She closed her eyes and leant against a wall, soaking up the relative calm in comparison to the busy club scene.  
  
Something caught her attention and she opened her eyes.  
  
A few meters away Leslie had Sharon pressed up against the wall with her top down around her waist. They were madly kissing and Leslie's hands were all over Sharon's breasts.  
  
'Oh my god!' She shrieked.  
  
Leslie pulled away looking like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar instead of just down Sharon's shirt.  
  
Sharon fixed up her clothes.  
  
'You two are lesbians?!' Chris said.  
  
Leslie nodded.  
  
Sharon stood there with her arms folded. If looks could kill Chris would be dead.  
  
Chris twigged. No wonder Sharon didn't like her. Sharon though Chris liked Leslie. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.  
  
Chris composed herself after her shock. 'I'm gonna get a cab home. This club sucks.' She went back into the club.  
  
Leslie followed her. 'Chris wait!'  
  
Chris stopped and waited for Leslie to catch up.  
  
Leslie caught her and started on a long winded spiel that was drowned out by the music. She rolled her eyes and grabbing Chris by the wrist dragged her out to the front of the club.  
  
'Chris, I'm sorry. I thought you had figured it out.' She said.  
  
Chris shook her head. 'It wasn't the first thing that sprang to mind.'  
  
'But you aren't married, you're not seeing anyone and with an ass like yours…'  
  
'Wait a minute!' Chris said. 'You thought I was gay?'  
  
'Well, yeah. Sort of.'  
  
'Did it ever occur to you that I might just be dedicated to my career?'  
  
Leslie shrugged. 'I'm in love with Sharon and she's in love with me. And it feels fantastic to be loved like that.' She said. 'Don't you want someone special in your life?'  
  
'Yes but when I fall in love I want it to be with someone who has the appropriate appendages.' Chris turned and walked towards the cab rank.  
  
Leslie didn't follow and went back into the club instead.  
  
Chris arrived back at her apartment to find Cory sitting on the front steps.  
  
'You do realize what tonight was?' Cory asked not looking up as Chris approached to unlock the door.  
  
'No, what?'  
  
'The premier of 'The Core'. You said you wanted to see it. We had tickets to go and see it on that fancy yacht thing.' Cory sounded really disappointed. In   
  
Chris sighed. 'I'm sorry Cory, I forgot.' Chris unlocked the door and turned the inside lights on.  
  
'How could you forget? I wrote it on your calendar.' Cory followed Chris inside the apartment.  
  
Chris looked at the calendar. 'Cory, its June. My calendar is still on March.'  
  
'We've had it planned for weeks.'  
  
Chris put her bag down. 'I'm sorry. I just forgot. We can still go and see it in the cinemas.'  
  
'Where were you anyway?' Cory stood with her arms folded.  
  
Oh boy, Chris thought. 'I was at a club.' She said.  
  
'Let me guess. You went with Leslie?' Cory said mockingly.  
  
'She invited you too Cory.'  
  
'I had plans!' She said. 'With you!'  
  
'Well you didn't miss anything.'  
  
'Oh and why is that?'  
  
'Because Leslie and me and Sharon to La Vie.'  
  
'The new club? I wanted to go there.'  
  
'Trust me you don't.  
  
'Why not? Because you hang out there now?'  
  
'No, because it's a gay club.'  
  
'A gay club?'  
  
'Yes, you know where you get asked out by the wrong sex. Where all the guys with boyfriend potential already have boyfriends. Where you get to watch Leslie and Sharon get it on…together.'  
  
Cory eyed Chris. 'You're saying that Leslie and Sharon are lesbians?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
Cory shook her head. 'You know what I think Chris. I think you're only saying that because you don't want me to be friends with her. Because you don't want me hanging out with her.'  
  
'Cory, I couldn't give a stuff who you hang out with. I'm just saying that it was a waste of time going to that club.'  
  
'Whatever.' She said.  
  
Chris threw her hands in the air. 'Well what do you want me to do Cory?' She said frustrated.  
  
'I want you to be the friend I had a couple of weeks ago. The one who doesn't go off her brain because I went somewhere with someone. The one who shows up when we have plans.'  
  
Chris rubbed her eyes. 'Look Cory, I'm too tired and too annoyed. I just want to get some sleep.'  
  
'And the one who has time for me.' Cory said and walked out slamming the front door.  
  
Chris groaned and flopped down on the couch. What a day she'd had, and it had just gone from bad to worse.  
  
Cory left Chris's house in a foul mood.  
  
She didn't want to go home just yet so she drove herself home and took a walk.  
  
Her travels lead her to along side a pub where two men were seconds away from having a drunken brawl.  
  
She approached them. 'What's going on?' She asked.  
  
'It's my car and he won't let me drive.' One man slurred.  
  
'You're too drunk.' The other one slurred even worse. 'I'm driving.'  
  
'It's my car.' The first one said, pushing his friend.  
  
'Hey!' Cory said to get their attention. She pulled out her badge. 'You're both too drunk to be driving. Give me the keys.'  
  
The man mumbled a few words that shouldn't be repeated in a fan fic and handed over the keys.  
  
'Good.' She said. 'Now how about I go inside and call you a cab.'  
  
She walked into the pub and the two men followed her grumbling and complaining.  
  
She procured a quarter from one of the men and used the pay phone in the pub to call a cab.  
  
Whilst waiting for the operator to pick up she looked around and saw Leslie sitting in a table in the far corner sobbing.  
  
The operator picked up and Cory ordered the cab, and then waited with the men until it arrived.  
  
She handed the keys back to their owner. 'When you've slept it off you can come back and get your car.'  
  
'Yeah, mumble mumble slur, mumble.'   
  
Cory went back into the pub and over to where Leslie was sitting. She sat down next to her. 'What's wrong?' She asked putting a hand on her shoulder for support.  
  
'Sharon and I had a fight.' She sniffed.  
  
'Over what?' Cory asked.  
  
'She said that…she said I liked you and Chris more than her. And I was spending more time with you two than I was with her.'  
  
'Of course you are.' Cory cooed. 'You do work with us.'  
  
'That's what I told her but she wouldn't listen.' Leslie said sobbing harder.  
  
'It's okay.' Cory said and hugged Leslie. 'She'll come around. She's just jealous.'  
  
Leslie put her arms around Cory and leaned her head on her shoulder. 'Sharon has been my best friend since forever.' She sniffed. 'We went to school together and we were roomies through college and now she hates me.'  
  
'She doesn't hate you Leslie. She's just out of sorts. She'll get over it.'  
  
Cory stayed hugging Leslie until her sobs had subsided a little.  
  
Then Leslie let go and sat back in the chair. 'Sharon didn't want me to work here. She said it was too far away from Long Beach.'  
  
'It's only temporary Leslie. You'll be back at Long Beach doing your thing soon enough. Just tell her how you really feel.'  
  
Leslie leaned closer to Cory. Cory put her arms back around Leslie thinking she needed another hug.  
  
It wasn't until Leslie's lips brushed over Cory's that she knew what she was doing.  
  
Cory pushed her away. Chris was right. 'I'm straight.' She said.  
  
Leslie put her head in her hands. 'I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking.' She looked back at Cory. 'It's just that you're really cute.'  
  
'Thank you, I think.' Cory said. 'Look, you're upset and a little seedy. How about I call you a cab?'  
  
Leslie nodded.  
  
Cory made sure Leslie was on her way home before she set off home herself.  
  
Tomorrow she was going to have to call Chris and apologize for not believing her…and for being a little jealous that Chris had a friend other than her.  
  
The situation between Leslie and Sharon had sounded too familiar for her liking. Chris thought Cory liked Leslie more than her. And Cory thought that Chris was spending more time with Leslie than with her.  
  
Cory was going to take some of her own advice, tell Chris how she really felt.  
  
The knocking on the door woke Chris from a deep sleep the next morning. She rolled off the couch and looked at the clock. 7 am.  
  
Moaning, she dragged herself down the hall stopping for a quick look in the hall mirror.  
  
Not a pretty sight, she thought mentally reminding herself to take off her make up before falling asleep next time.  
  
Not the she really cared. Whoever was disturbing her at this hour of the morning wasn't worth getting dressed up for.  
  
Chris opened the door squinting through the sunlight to see Tc leaning against the doorframe giving her the once over.  
  
'Good party was it?' He asked.  
  
Chris rolled her eyes. 'What do you want?'  
  
'Palermo wants us down at the station.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
'He didn't say.'  
  
'Why didn't he call?'  
  
'He did.'  
  
Chris looked over at her answering machine. Sure enough there was a message for her. 'Let me guess, he's pissed off right?'  
  
'Just a little. After all, I was the only one of the four of us he could reach.' He patted Chris on the shoulder. 'Don't worry though; I don't mind winning brownie points with him.' Tc tugged on the strap of her dress. 'You'd better get cleaned up and changed. We have to meet at the station in 15 minutes and I have to get over to Cory and Leslie's to find out where they are.'  
  
It was after Chris had shut the door that she'd realized what he said. Cory AND Leslie weren't answering their phones. Could it be? 


	6. Part 6 Final

Cory was under fire the instant she walked through the firehouse doors.  
  
'And where were you?' Chris asked antagonistically.  
  
Cory had spent the previous night tossing and turning, trying to figure out a way to make things right between her and Chris. Her plan was quickly dissolving under Chris's provocative demeanour.  
  
She was about to fly back with a cutting remark, then thought better of it. After all, Chris did have the potential to be a real bitch if she put her mind to it.  
  
She shrugged off the comment.  
  
Tc arrive at the station half dragging Leslie along behind him.  
  
Cory had a hard time making out that it was her though. With flat hair and dark glasses she didn't look like her normal perky self.  
  
'Finally.' Palermo said impatiently and descended the stairs.  
  
Leslie winced as his voice echoed through her head.  
  
Palermo strode over to where Chris and Cory were standing. Tc and Leslie followed suite.  
  
'I'm glad you three could finally show up.' He addressed Chris, Cory and Leslie. 'It seems that Sergeant Callaway is the only responsible member of this team on a Saturday.'  
  
'That's because he's the only one that didn't go out on the piss last night.' Leslie retorted.  
  
Palermo just rolled his eyes.  
  
'Well it is a Saturday.' She continued.  
  
The lieutenant engaged her in a death stare. 'Heaven forbid you should be available to do your job Officer Baker.' He said moving closer to her. He stood directly in front of her now, revelling in the fact that she was much shorter than himself and using the advantage to its full potential. 'Loose the glasses Baker.'  
  
Leslie huffed but did as she was told, squinting in discomfort as she did so.  
  
Palermo smirked and turned his attention to the task at hand. 'Okay. The situation is that there's a drug bust going down in the next twenty minutes. It'll take up most of our resources. You four are staying here to provide support.'  
  
'Wouldn't we be more of a help if we went with them.' Cory asked. She didn't particularly look forward to cooling her heels here.  
  
'I don't think any of you are in a fit state to be going on a drug bust.' He said.  
  
'What about me?' Tc asked defensively.  
  
Palermo looked from Tc to a calendar sitting on the desk and back to Tc before walking away.  
  
'What was that all about?' Chris asked Tc when Palermo was safely out of ear shot.  
  
'Victor's going in for surgery today.' Tc said and wandered over to his desk. He sat down and glumly looked over a report he'd been working on.  
  
Chris and Cory exchanged looks before remembering they were supposed to be mad at each other.  
  
Chris wondered over to Tc's desk and pulled up a chair. 'You don't think what happened to Victor is your fault, do you? Is that was Palermo was getting at?'  
  
Tc sighed. 'At first I did. I told Palermo I got over it but I guess he didn't believe me.'  
  
Chris patted his arm. 'Victor will be okay.'  
  
He nodded. 'I know.' Tc looked around to make sure to was could hear them before continuing. 'I think you should lay off Cory.'  
  
'Me lay off her?' Chris said rather loudly before Tc hushed her.  
  
'Just listen.' He said. 'I was talking to her when I was over there this morning. Leslie hit on her last night. Almost slipped in the tongue before she knew any better.'  
  
Chris stared at him. 'You're kidding.' She laughed. 'Poor Cory.'  
  
Tc nodded.  
  
'Hang on. When did this happen?' Chris asked.  
  
Tc leaned closer so he could whisper. 'Last night after she left your house she went for a walk. There were two guys brawling outside a pub and she broke it up and sent them on their way. Anyhow, she saw Leslie inside crying her eyes out, went into comfort her and that's when it happened.'  
  
'What was she crying about?'  
  
'A few things. She didn't like how things went with you last night. She felt bad that you found out the way you did. As well as that, Sharon got really jealous of you and dumped her. Sharon thought that Leslie had a thing for you.' Tc was aimlessly doodling on a piece of paper.  
  
'When really she had a thing for Cory.' Chris said jokingly.  
  
Tc laughed. 'Nah, it's just a rebound thing.'  
  
'I did tell Cory that Leslie was gay.'  
  
'Yeah but she didn't believe you.'  
  
'Were you surprised when Cory told you? About Leslie I mean.'  
  
'No. I already knew.'  
  
Chris gaped at him. 'How?'  
  
'Victor told me. Sharon told him.'  
  
'So you let me go to a gay club with a lesbian and not tell me? Thanks Tc.'  
  
'It was too late by then. Besides, you wouldn't have believed me.' Tc got up and went to file some papers.  
  
Chris sat there thinking about his last comment. He was right, she wouldn't have believed him. And it was no wonder that Cory didn't believe her.  
  
Chris found Cory sitting by herself on a half wall outside the firehouse grinding gravel underfoot and sat down next to her.  
  
Before Chris had a chance to say anything Cory spoke first.  
  
'Chris, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so hard on you last night. You're only human and you have a right to forget things.' Cory said not making eye contact.  
  
'Yeah, but I shouldn't have forgotten something that important.' Chris said, the comment making Cory smile. 'And I shouldn't have been mad at you for being friends with Leslie and not me.'  
  
Cory looked at her. 'I was never not friends with you. You've always been my best friend.'  
  
Chris held out her hand. 'Still best friends?'  
  
Cory shook her hand. 'Still best friends.' She said.  
  
They hugged for good measure.  
  
'But in a strictly heterosexual way.' Chris said and they both laughed.  
  
A few hours later the teams that had gone on the drug bust returned rather pleased with their success.  
  
As they congratulated each other with pats on the back, Chris, Cory and Tc watched on, scowling and green with envy. Leslie was just green from being hung-over.  
  
Amongst the organised chaos that had just enveloped the firehouse, Sharon entered and received whistles and stares from the still fired-up male officers.  
  
She rolled her eyes and made her way through the crowd to where the Tc, Cory and Chris were sitting.  
  
She stood in front of Tc's desk with her hands folded in front of her. 'I just came by to tell you that your friend's operation went very well.' She said. 'He came out of recovery about half an hour ago. He's very tired still, but okay.'  
  
Tc nodded and thanked her. 'I was going to call soon and see how he is.'  
  
'His mother is with him. She should be able to fill you in.' Sharon smiled remembering the fuss Rosa had made all day.  
  
Rosa had been told she could wait in the ward until they'd brought Victor back from surgery. However, she'd followed them when they'd wheeled him from the room and followed them into the operating room before they realised what she was doing.  
  
Sharon glanced down at her hands. 'Um, I was also wondering if Leslie was around.'  
  
Tc pointed to the other side of the room where Leslie was sitting. She had her dark glasses back on again and had her head resting on the desk in front of her with a hot cup of coffee sitting beside her.  
  
Sharon walked over to Leslie and patted her on the shoulder.  
  
Leslie looked up. 'What are you doing here?' She asked getting to her feet slowly.  
  
Sharon sighed. Now would be a good time for humility. 'I came to apologise.' She took Leslie's hand and held it, running her thumb along Leslie's knuckles.. 'I was wrong to be jealous of your relationship with Chris and Cory. And I should never have accused you of being unfaithful.'  
  
'You've got nothing to be jealous about. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me and I'm madly in love with you.' Leslie brought Sharon's hand up to her mouth and kissed it.  
  
'So I'm forgiven?' Sharon asked.  
  
Leslie nodded. 'You're forgiven.' She leaned forward, putting her arms around Sharon's neck and kissing her deeply.  
  
Sharon responded by holding Leslie and pulling her close.  
  
Cory who'd been watching the scene stole a glance at Chris who was trying not to laugh at all the men in the room who'd were watching on with their jaws almost touching the floor…that and Tc who was fiercely writing a report and pretending not to know about the whole episode.  
  
Palermo had come down the stairs at that time and had frozen half way down when he saw the two women kissing, startled that one of the best female bike patrol officers he'd seen in a long time had a girlfriend.  
  
A few months later.  
  
'I would like to raise a toast.' Palermo said raising his plastic cup in the air. 'To welcome back and old friend, and to say goodbye to another.'  
  
'Cheers.' Everyone said and touched their cups together before drinking their coke.  
  
Today was the da that Victor returned to duty and Leslie left to go to her new posting, still at Long Beach but as a bicycle manoeuvres trainer for new rookies. 


End file.
